This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

This position serves as Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor in the PTSD Clinical Team Specialty Program at the Alexandria VA Health Care System (AVAHCS). If you are not a current, permanent federal employee, apply to announcement number CBST-12320550-24-GJ Duties include but not limited to: Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the mental health profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. The senior LPMHC collaborates with the other members of the interdisciplinary treatment team in the provision of comprehensive mental health services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population and ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior LPMHC is able to provide leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in service training, staff development, and continuing education programs related to area of specialization. They are expected to serve on committees, work groups, and task forces at the facility, VISN and national level, or in the community as deemed appropriate. Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex physical or mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiplepsychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges. Ability to determine priority for services and provide specialized treatment services. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, couples and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management interventions used in the treatment of veterans with PTSD and other co-occurring conditions such as substance use disorders. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the profession, demonstrating innovation in the creation of new models of psychosocial assessment or intervention to identify and address specialized clinical needs. Ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the specialty population or specialty treatment program. Providing direct, concurrent, clinical care using established evidence-based practices for Veterans with PTSD presenting to the treatment team. The specialist will provide a range of psychological interventions (individual and group therapy) consistent with training and expertise, with special emphasis on evidenced-based treatments for PTSD. Provides a full range of diagnostic and evaluation services consistent with training and expertise, especially in the areas of PTSD evaluation and suicide assessment. Evidence-based treatments to be provided to Veterans individually or in group format with appropriate documentation and measurement of effectiveness and Veteran response using clinical judgment and standardized assessment instruments. Develops, implements, and documents the psychotherapeutic treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. Serves as the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC) for assigned veterans and conducts the duties of this role when indicated. Delivers services both in person and via video technology. Supervises trainees conducting direct clinical care. Provides administrative duties including managing Return to Clinic Orders and consults for Veterans as needed, returning Veterans' phone calls and secure messages, writing reports, scoring Measure Based Care tools, attending organizational meetings. On-going professional training and experiences are an expectation of the position. This duty is met through workshops, intra-VA assignments, and distance learning. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 502-00529-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Hold a master's or doctoral degree in: Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling; or a related field, from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to Addiction Counseling; Community Counseling; Gerontology Counseling; Marital, Couple, and Family Counseling. CACREP defines the date when graduates are considered to have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to LPMHC positions in the GS-01 series in VHA must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, which includes diagnosis and treatment. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Senior Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, GS-12 Experience, Education, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of progressively complex LPMHC experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior LPMHCs must have five years of post-licensed experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressive professional competency and expertise and be licensed to provide clinical supervision to trainees or unlicensed LPMHCs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-11 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of and mastery of theories and modalities used in the specialized treatment of complex mental illness. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnoses within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Ability to determine priority of services needed and provide specialized treatment. Advanced and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities for Veterans with complex needs. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling, or interventions used in the treatment of Veterans. Ability to coordinate the delivery of specialized psychosocial services and programs. Ability to design system changes based on data. Ability to provide subject matter consultation to colleagues and trainees on the psychosocial treatment of patients, rendering professional opinions based on experience, expertise and role modeling effective clinical skills. Ability to teach, mentor staff and trainees, and provide supervision for licensure or for specialty certifications. Ability to engage in written and oral communication with leadership/staff and community stakeholders regarding policies, procedures, practice guidelines, and issues pertaining to the practice of the profession. Preferred Experience: Specialized experience with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and common comorbid conditions. Experience with evidence based psychotherapies for PTSD to include cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, and eye movement and desensitization reprocessing therapy. Experience with interdisciplinary teams. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/106 APPENDIX G43 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Alexandria VA Medical Center 2495 Shreveport Highway Pineville, LA 71360 US
• Name: Grace Jackson
• Phone: 725-780-8676
• Email: [email protected]